Thursday, March 31, 2016

5 YEAR WARRANTY ON ANNUALS



As you know? annuals are plants that only live for the summer season here in Minnesota so with that being said.......






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Wednesday, March 9, 2016

2016 Top Hybrid Tea Rose Picks For Minnesota Gardens

Our 2016 top Hybrid Tea Rose picks for your Minnesota Garden



Chicago Peace
Zone 6-9 | Height: 4-6' | Spread: 4' | 5-5½"" Blooms | 50-60 Petals
   Hybrid Tea - Dark pink flowers have a coppery yellow base, color holds well, light fragrance, leathery glossy green foliage.








Chrysler Imperial
Zone 6-9 | Height: 3-5' | Spread: 2-4' | 4½-5"" Blooms | 40-50 Petals
   Hybrid Tea - Maroon red flowers, strong damask fragrance, semi glossy dark green foliage.








Europeana
Zone 5-9 | Height: 2-3' | Spread: 2-3' | 3"" Blooms | 25-30 Petals
   Floribunda - Double dark red flowers, light fragrance, deep green foliage.








Good As Gold
Zone 5-9 | Height: 4¼'-5¼' | Spread: 3-5' | 5"" Blooms | 30 Petals
   Deep golden orange-yellow with a hint of red, upright and bushy, grapefruit and citrus fragrance.








Heirloom
Zone 6-10 | Height: 4' | Spread: 4' | 4-5"" Blooms | 30-35 Petals
   Hybrid Tea - Deep lilac purple petals are darker at the edges, strong sweet fragrance, dark green foliage.







Jump For Joy
Zone 5-9 | Height: 2½-3½' | Spread: 2-4' | 4"" Blooms | 25 Petals
   Peachy pink flowers in large showy clusters, glossy green foliage with dark red new growth.








Love
Zone 5-10 | Height: 3' | Spread: 2-3' | 3½"" Blooms | 40-45 Petals| Variegated white and red, one of my favorite, a must have.








Mister Lincoln
Zone 6-9 | Height: 3-5' | Spread: 2' | 4-6"" Blooms | 25-40 Petals
   Hybrid Tea - Deep red ruffled flowers, strong melon fragrance, leathery dark to medium green foliage.








Olympiad
 Zone 5-9 | Height: 3-5' | Spread: 2' | 5"" Blooms | 30-35 Petals
   Hybrid Tea - Bright red flowers do not fade, light fragrance, dark green foliage.








Oregold
Zone 6-10 | Height: 5-6½' | Spread: 4' | 5-6"" Blooms | 35-40 Petals
   Hybrid Tea - Deep lemon yellow flowers, light citrus fragrance, oval dark green foliage.







Peace
 Zone 5-9 | Height: 4-6½' | Spread: 3' | 5-6"" Blooms | 40-50 Petals
   Hybrid Tea - Warm yellow blooms are edged in pink, sweet fragrance, leathery glossy dark green foliage.






If you want to learn more about growing Roses stop into Minnesota Gardens or contact the Minnesota Rose Society.


























Monday, February 15, 2016

2016 Top Annual Picks For Minnesota Gardens Part 1

2016 Annual Picks For Your Minnesota Garden


It's that time of year when we pick out  the best and newest annuals for your Minnesota Garden.  From angelonias to verbenas and all the annuals in between, see which plants are the top garden retail picks for your Minnesota garden for 2016.

I would like to talk first about the tried and true ones that have been around for a few years and because of the quality and ease of caring for, I suspect they will be around for a long time.


Calliope Geranium




The most common Geraniums are  the Seed, Ivy  and the Zonal with the advent of the Hybrid Calliope which is a cross between a Zonal and Ivy this Geranium is truly one of the best I have worked with. 
Extremely well-branched, vigorous mounding habit is ideal for baskets, large pots and landscape applications. Large semi-double flowers with stunning color; blooms in full sun or part shade locations. It can easily handle the heat, and I have had a few in hanging baskets on the south side of my house with no problems.  The part shade location would be the east side of your house using only the morning sun.


State Fair Zinnia


The Zinnia is one of the most popular flowers today, and the State Fair Mixture with its bold striking masses of bright color is perfect for cutting. The tall plants also make ideal tall beds or background planting. Blossoms are about 3 to 5  inches across and are born on long stems from 3 to 5 feet tall.  The do very well during our hot Minnesota July days.



Well  I could go on about many more tried and true annuals but this about the best of the new annuals for 2016.  Stop into Minnesota gardens and our knowledgeable staff would be more than happy to show you about the tried and true annuals.


Our Top Picks For Annuals 2016

Superbells Calibrachoa





The Superbells Calibrachoa Hybrid is one of those annuals that has proven itself over and over again, and I think it will be overtaking the Wave Petunia in the years to come. They might not be as large as the Wave Petunia but they are thick and don't have problems becoming leggy as the Wave does at times.  Abundant, small petunia-like flowers all season long on cascading growth, very low maintenance, and very heat tolerant.  These are great in a hanging basket, and I have used them as a single plant in pots.  The "Garden Rose & Evening Star Superbells Calibrachoa are my pick for 2016. 


Dahlia's






Dahlias offer flamboyant flowers on lush plants from summer through fall, right up to the first frost. Dahlias make excellent cut flowers; to achieve nice stems for cutting and bushier, compact plants, pinch out the center shoot just above the third set of leaves. The "Georgia Peach & Lively Lavender" are the perfect colors for a Cottage Garden.

Lantana


Lantana is one of my favorite annuals, the varieties are endless and you can use them in any kind of planting.   The "Pinkberry Blend" has tones of pink, yellow and cream produce a gorgeous display of color; heat and drought tolerant with a light, sweet fragrance, blooms up until a hard frost, no deadheading, and very heat tolerant.  Some of my favorite are New Gold, American red, Silver Mound, and Spreading Sunset.



Gerbera  Daisy 




Gerbera Daisy's have been in Minnesota Gardens for years, but the "Miss Scarlet" is truly one of a kind, what sets this one apart from others is it's stunning color.  Like all Gerbera daisy's they need their soil damp, to much or to little water can affect the plant.  


Moss Rose (Portulaca)





When it comes to Moss Rose there are always many to chose from, but this year there is one that stands out.  The "Mojave" is one that the above picture does not do justice.  The color of yellow is all over this one with tight flowers that almost hide the stems.  This one is perfect for as a border, container, or in a mass planting.   Very heat tolerant, no dead heading, and can handle the humid heat of Minnesota.


I will be sending out my Part 2 of "2016 Top Annual Picks For Minnesota Gardens" in a few days so stay tuned.





Wednesday, July 15, 2015

Rose Tipping In Minnesota


This year was a great year for Roses for your Minnesota Garden, from the early spring, to the countless days of full sun we have received so far.  With all the Hybrid Tea Roses we have sold, and the countless tips I have given out to people, the most asked question is how do I take care of my Rose in the fall. 

Our Minnesota winters can be very harsh on your Roses and tipping is the only way your Hybrid Roses will survive.  Some people will tell me that they have coned, pilled leaves, and mounded dirt around their Roses and that works.  That might be true for them, but for me the ONLY WAY to keep your Hybrid Roses alive in a Minnesota winter is to tip them.


Having Hybrid Roses in your garden rather than shrub Roses is something that really stands out in a garden.  The brilliant color of a Mr Lincoln Rose or the variegated white and red of a Love Rose is simply stunning.  Yes putting them to bed for the winter takes a little work, but well worth the effort.

I start working on mine in the middle of October giving them a good watering to loosen up the soil a few days before tipping.  Some people give them a good dormant spray such as a liquid lime-sulphur material, I myself don't, but many people do.

Don't do any pruning on them as that will open up the Rose for any fungus or problems with healing.

Get some nylon string and start tying up at the base and work your way up the canes to the top, leaving about 2 extra feet of string out.  Leaving the extra string out will make it easier in the spring to pull your Rose up.  There is no reason to cinch the string tight, the main reason is to make the Rose canes easier to handle.

Use a spade fork to loosen the soil around your Rose about 8 to 10 inches.

Start digging your trench away from the base of your Rose and work back, the length of your trench should be as long as the height of your Rose, dig down about 8 to 10 inches.  The width of your trench should be able to handle the width of your Rose.

As you get closer to the base of your Rose you should be able to start tipping the Rose in. Cover the Rose with about 4 to 6 inches of soil, cover your soil with about 18 inches of leaves.  I put chicken wire over the leaves to keep them in place.

Come late March start to uncover the Rose by taking the leaves off as the ground thaws. sometime around mid April you should have your Rose up.  Clean off the Rose with your hose and give it a good watering and some fungicide.

So there you have it, a very easy way to take care of your Hybrid Tea Roses over our cold Minnesota winters.





Tuesday, May 19, 2015

A Minnesota Cottage Garden


When I think of a Cottage Garden I think of romance, pastel colors, informal, a garden that changes color throughout the spring and summer seasons.  Places where I can have a glass of wine, read a book, watch the butterflies and let the world go away.

Your Cottage Garden does not have to take over your whole yard, just start out with a small section, but I assure you after you see the beauty of what you make you will be expanding it.

Informal

Cottage gardens don't look designed. In fact, they're usually exuberant, free-flowering, and sometimes even unrestrained. To get the informal look, avoid planting in straight lines or defined patterns. Let plants cascade over paths and weave through each other. It adds to their charm. And grow self-seeding plants that pop up in unexpected places.  I always tell people to just start planting and when you 



Using Curving Pathways

Create soft meandering pathways instead of those that follow a straight, structured line. Many paving materials work in cottage gardens, including wood chips, stone, old bricks, and flagstone.



Grow Old-Fashioned Flowers


Cottage gardens aren't about new varieties. They're usually filled with the same traditional favorites your grandmother would have grown. Some popular examples include peony, cosmos, foxglove, snapdragon, pansy, bachelor's button, columbine, bleeding heart, and hollyhock.
Most cottage gardens have a romantic feel. Part of that feel comes from the flowers. Look for blooms in soft pastel shades. Also look for plants packed with petals, such as peonies and old roses. As an added bonus, many of these varieties are also wonderfully fragrant.



Look for Materials with Character

Cottage gardens often include structures made from natural or well-worn materials. Weathered wood fences, arbors, and gates are right at home among a collection of cottage plants.

Make your cottage garden into an outdoor living space by adding comfy furniture. Avoid anything contemporary. Instead look for Adirondack, wicker, or painted metal shell back chairs. The furniture doesn't have to match: Part of the charm is how informal it is. An eclectic mix fits right in. 
I find it very funny that people spend allot of money at specialty stores when all you have to do is hit a few garage sales to find the same things at a much lower price.  



Wednesday, April 22, 2015

Why We Don't Sell Roundup



Why We Don’t Sell Roundup At Minnesota Gardens


With more and more people realizing the effects of Roundup not only in their own gardens, but the effect it has worldwide we have decided to explain why we don’t sell Roundup.  

I was reminded after I was at a seminar at a local nursery a few weeks back that talked about the benefits of organic gardening and how they are going green for the environment.  I was very pleased until I walked around their store and noticed Roundup products.  I asked a clerk why they are selling such a horrible product if they are trying to sell their customers about going green.  Her reply was “If they don’t buy it from us, they will buy it somewhere”  That might be true, but to tell your customers your all about going green and saving the planet when you sell a product that is killing the environment is all about marketing and profits.

After I left, I stopped at a few other nursery’s ranging from the big stores to some mom and pop stores.  What I saw and experienced at every one of them was, “We are going green, we want to save the planet, we sell organic products for your health because we care.”  It was the same story over and over again.  It was simple marketing about “Look at us and how much we care about you and the environment, but go down isle 9 and buy some Roundup.”  Marketing and profits was their story, saving the environment was just a marketing tool.


The Basics Of Roundup


Roundup is what's known as a broad-spectrum herbicide, because it kills nearly anything green.  When I say nearly everything green I mean, from Crabgrass to Milkweed, yes Milkweed the plant that Monarch butterflies need to feed on.  When I was a child we would drive out to Stillwater to go boating and I remember seeing Milkweed everywhere in the ditches with 1000’s Monarchs all over them.  When I last went out to Stillwater last summer I could count on my hands the Milkweed and Monarchs I saw.



Why Roundup Is Bad
(It’s Effects On You And Your Family)


Its main ingredient is Glyphosate, but studies show Glyphosate is not as good as it is billed. Glyphosate is less toxic than many other herbicides, but it's still the third most commonly reported cause of illness among agricultural workers in California. Glyphosate products are acutely toxic to humans and animals, with symptoms like eye and skin irritation (lasting up to 7 days), cardiac depression, gastrointestinal pain, vomiting, and accumulation of excess fluid in the lungs. Glyphosate can cause other long-term damage. Population studies show increased miscarriages and non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. Animal studies show genetic damage, reduced sperm counts, cataracts, and thyroid, pancreas, and liver tumors.  For landscape maintenance workers, it ranks highest in their field as respiratory problem.
When the vast majority of today's most prevalent diseases can be traced to the same long-term side effects brought about by exposure to Roundup, we have a very real public health crisis on our hands.


(It’s Effect On Your Environment)


A person might think I am just spraying the cracks in my driveway where the weeds grow or in between the rows in my garden.  What Roundup is doing downstream from your yard is another story.
The World Wildlife fund announced that last year’s Monarch migration from Canada, to the United States and down to Mexico was the lowest it’s ever been since scientists began tracking them over twenty years ago. In fact, a 43 percent drop has been measured compared to last year, that’s huge and very concerning.  It’s not only Monarch Butterflies, but Bees as well. A lot of information has come out linking Monsanto Roundup to the death of millions upon millions of bees over the past few years.  These pollinators are very important to your environment.
In Minnesota Monarch larvae feed exclusively on milkweed, which has seen a 58 percent decrease across the Midwest between 1999 and 2010 because of herbicide (Roundup) use and loss of habitat.
In California Glyphosate has been detected beyond the recommended limits of good drinking water in 41 percent of groundwater samples tested reveals yet another concerning "side effect" of its rampant use, namely, that it is not biodegrading in the soil, as previously told to us by Monsanto.
I could go on and on about the effects of Roundup and how it is affecting you on a daily basis from the food you buy in the store to the grass your children play on the park, but I just wanted to get my basic point across to you of its effects.






What Minnesota Gardens Recommends For Weed Control
(Vinegar)


There are allot of substitutes to use instead of Roundup, but the one thing I use that is tried and true is White Vinegar.  Why douse them with something that will remain in the soil for who knows how long? Try vinegar instead. It’s is cheap. It’s easy to use. I keep gallons of the stuff in my garden shed.  I use a 50/50 mix and spray on a sunny day.  Some people use salt in the mix, I don’t.







(Go Play In The Dirt!)

Another way to take control of your weed problem that works well is your hands.    Go play in the dirt, have your kids join you, turn off the cell phones, the TV, and the internet and go play in the dirt.  I have been gardening for years, and my favorite part is always playing in the dirt.

So the next time you’re in your favorite Garden Center that promotes “We are green, we support organic gardening, and we are doing our part to save the environment.”  Ask them why they are still selling Roundup.

If you want to plant a garden for butterfly's (pollinators), check out our blog on plant selection.

If you have any garden questions please feel free to email us  info@mngardens.com  or if you have any tips please share them with us, we would love to post them.